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Research Fellowship

The IU SOQIC Research Fellowship Program is a long-standing program that was recently brought to Indiana University School of Medicine with the relocation of SOQIC to IU's Department of Surgery. These research fellowships offer a funded, two-year, onsite fellowship in surgical outcomes, health services, quality improvement, implementation science, health policy, and surgical education research for surgical residents. Applications are rolling and reviewed as they are submitted. We are currently seeking applicants for research fellows within our department to start in July 2025 in Indianapolis.

The overall goal of the research fellowships is to help prepare surgical residents for successful careers as surgeon-scientists. This pathway will allow for residents to gain firsthand experience in research methodology across a variety of different research disciplines. Research fellows will spend a minimum of two years with the IU SOQIC research team conducting research, taking advanced degree courses, and working on developing a robust, meaningful research agenda. Several tracks for applicants with specific interests are available, including: surgical education, oncology, heath policy, quality improvement, and implementation science. All IU SOQIC research fellows will be able to undertake surgical education research, including working on The SECOND Trial and the future THIRD Trial.*

Residents participating in the IU SOQIC Research Fellowship will also earn a Master's Degree in Clinical Science from Indiana University School of Medicine. Applicants are not required to enroll in degree programs if a similar-level degree has already been achieved.

Prior fellows have had very successful research experiences, including numerous presentations (e.g., American Surgical Association, American College of Surgeons), first-author publications (e.g., JAMA, NEJM, Annals of Surgery), and successful grant acquisitions (e.g., NIH, AHRQ. American Cancer Society).

The work done during the fellowship has launched successful research careers and has helped residents secure coveted clinical fellowships, faculty positions, and research funding. The program prepares the research fellow for a career in academic surgery with a focus on national surgical healthcare issues. There is also a formal program to support the fellow’s professional development, especially in establishing a national network of relationships. Strong preference will be given to candidates with prior research experience. One-year fellowships will not be considered. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or residents.

*The SECOND Trial is made possible by partnerships with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Board of Surgery (ABS), Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS), Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and the Society of Surgical Chairs (SSC). The study is funded by the ACS and the ACGME.


Meet our current fellows and explore their research interests

Meet our past fellows and see where they are now

Fellowship Opportunities

Fellowship opportunities for the Research Fellowship program focus on surgical outcomes, health services, quality improvement, implementation science, health policy, and surgical education research.

Learn More

  1. Ban KA, Cohen ME, Ko CY, Friedberg MW, Stulberg JJ, Zhou L, Hall BL, Hoyt DB, Bilimoria KY.  Evaluation of the ProPublica Surgeon Scorecard "Adjusted Complication Rate" Measure Specifications. Ann Surg. 2016;264(4):566-574. PMID: 27433895.
    https://doi.org/10.1097/sla.0000000000001858

  2. Berger ER, O'Leary KJ, Johnson JK, Reinhart SP, Farrell PR, Yang AD, Barsness KA, Halverson AL, Thomas JM, Bilimoria KY. Are Hospital Surgical Quality Teams Well Versed in Carrying out Quality and Process Improvement Initiatives: A Baseline Assessment of Quality Improvement Knowledge at 55 Illinois Hospitals. J Am Coll Surg. 2015;221(4):S122-S122.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2015.07.287

  3. Berian JR, Thomas JM, Minami CA, Farrell PR, O'Leary KJ, Williams MV, Prachand VN, Halverson AL, Bilimoria KY, Johnson JK. Evaluation of a novel mentor program to improve surgical care for US hospitals. Int J Qual Health Care. 2017:1-9. PMID: 28453822.
    https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzx005

  4. Blay E, Jr., Huang R, Chung JW, Yang AD, DeLancey JO, Merkow RP, Barnard C, Bilimoria KY.  Evaluating the Impact of the Venous Thromboembolism Outcome Measure on the PSI 90 Composite Quality Metric. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2019;45(3):148-155. PMID: 30292465.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2018.08.009

  5. Brajcich BC, Stulberg JJ, Palis B, Chung JW, Huang R, Nelson H, Bilimoria KY. Association Between Surgical Technical Skill and Long-Term Survival for Colon Cancer. JAMA Onc. 2020. 

  6. DeLancey JO, Softcheck J, Chung JW, Barnard C, Dahlke AR, Bilimoria KY. Associations Between Hospital Characteristics, Measure Reporting, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Overall Hospital Quality Start Ratings. JAMA. 2017;317(19):2015-7. PMID: 28510670.
    https://doi.org/10.1001/JAMA.2017.3148

  7. Engelhardt KE, Bilimoria KY, Johnson JK, Hewitt DB, Ellis RJ, Hu Y-Y, Chung JW, Kreutzer L, Love R, Blay E, Odell DD. A National Mixed-Methods Evaluation of preparedness for General Surgery Residency and the Association With Resident Burnout JAMA Surg. Published online August 12, 2020. PMID: 32804992.
    https://doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2020.2420

  8. Engelhardt KE, Matulewicz RS, DeLancey JO, Merkow RP, Quinn CM, Kreutzer L, Bilimoria KY.  Physician characteristics associated with patient experience scores: implications for adjusting public reporting of individual physician scores. BMJ Qual Saf. 2019;28(5):412-415. PMID:  30487182.
    https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2018-008346

  9. Hewitt DB, Ellis RJ, Chung JW, Cheung EO, Moskowitz JT, Huang R, Merkow RP, Yang AD, Hu YY, Cohen ME, Ko CY, Hoyt DB, Bilimoria KY. Association of Surgical Resident Wellness With Medical Errors and Patient Outcomes. Ann Surg. 2020. PMID: 32282379.
    https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000003909

  10. Hu YY, Ellis RJ, Hewitt DB, Yang AD, Cheung EOY, Moskowitz JT, Potts JR, Buyske J, Hoyt DB, Nasca T, Bilimoria KY. Discrimination, Abuse, Harassment, and Burnout in Surgical Residency Training. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;381(18), 1741-1752. PMID: 31657887.
    https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa1903759

  11. Khorfan R, Yuce TK, Love R, Yang AD, Chung J, Hoyt DB, Lewis FR, Bilimoria KY. Cumulative Effect of Flexible Duty-hour Policies on Resident Outcomes: Long-term Follow-up Results From the  FIRST Trial. Ann Surg. 2020;271(5):791-798. PMID: 32149826.
    https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000003802

  12. Kinnier CV, Ju MH, Kmiecik TE, Barnard C, Halverson T, Yang AD, Caprini JA, Bilimoria KY.  Development of a Novel Composite Process Measure for Venous Thromboembolism  Prophylaxis. J Am Coll Surg. 2015;221(4):S123-S123. PMID: 26683781.
    https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.000000000000474

  13. Merkow RP, Chung JW, Paruch JL, Bentrem DJ, Bilimoria KY. Relationship Between Cancer Center Accreditation and Performance on Publicly Reported Quality Measures. Ann Surg.  2014;259(6):1091-1097. PMID: 24509202.
    https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000000542

  14. Merkow RP, Bentrem DJ, Chung JW, Paruch JL, Ko CY, Bilimoria KY. Differences in Patients, Surgical Complexity, and Outcomes After Cancer Surgery at National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Centers Compared to Other Hospitals. Med Care. 2013;51(7):606-613. PMID: 23604012.
    https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0b013e3182928f44

  15. Merkow RP, Bilimoria KY, Keswani RN, Chung J, Sherman KL, Knab LM, Posner MC, Bentrem DJ.  Treatment Trends, Risk of Lymph Node Metastasis, and Outcomes for Localized Esophageal  Cancer. Jnci-J Natl Cancer I. 2014;106(7). PMID: 25031273.
    https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/dju133

  16. Merkow RP, Ju MH, Chung JW, Hall BL, Cohen ME, Williams MV, Tsai TC, Ko CY, Bilimoria KY. Underlying reasons associated with hospital readmission following surgery in the United States.  JAMA. 2015;313(5):483-95. PMID: 25647204.
    https://doi.org/10.1001/JAMA.2014.18614

  17. Minami CA, Hansen N, Strauss JB, Feinglass J, Hayes JP, Rydzewski N, Bentrem DJ, Bilimoria KY.  Evaluation of the new Commission on Cancer Quality measure for post-mastectomy radiation treatment for breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2015;33(15). PMID: 27169774.
    https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5257-5

  18. Minami CA, Wayne JD, Yang AD, Martini MC, Gerami P, Chandra S, Kuzel TM, Winchester DP, Palis BE, Bilimoria KY. National Evaluation of Hospital Performance on the New Commission on Cancer Melanoma Quality Measures. Ann Surg Oncol. 2016;23(11):3548-3557. PMID: 27278202.
    https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5302-4

  19. Rajaram R, Barnard C, Bilimoria KY. Concerns about using the patient safety indicator-90 composite in pay-for-performance programs. JAMA. 2015;313(9):897-8. PMID: 25654581.
    https://doi.org/10.1001/JAMA.2015.52

  20. Rajaram R, Chung JW, Kinnier CV, Barnard C, Mohanty S, Pavey ES, McHugh MC, Bilimoria KY.  Hospital Characteristics Associated With Penalties in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program. JAMA. 2015;314(4):375-83. PMID:  26219055.
    https://doi.org/10.1001/JAMA.2015.8609

  21. Rajaram R, Chung JW, Jones AT, Cohen ME, Dahlke AR, Ko CY, Tarpley JL, Lewis FR, Hoyt DB, Bilimoria KY. Association of the 2011 ACGME resident duty hour reform with general surgery patient outcomes and with resident examination performance. JAMA. 2014;312(22):2374-84.  PMID: 25490328.
    https://doi.org/10/1001/JAMA.2014.15277

  22. Raval MV, Cohen ME, Ingraham AM, Dimick JB, Osborne NH, Hamilton BH, Ko CY, Hall BL. Improving American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program risk adjustment: incorporation of a novel procedure risk score. J Am Coll Surg. 2010 Dec;211(6):715-23. PMID: 20846884.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2010.07.021

  23. Schlick CJR, Bilimoria KY, Stulberg JJ. Video-Based Feedback for the Improvement of Surgical Technique: A Platform for Remote Review and Improvement of Surgical Technique. JAMA Surg.  Published online September 9, 2020.
    https://doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2020.3286

  24. Sellers MM, Hanson K, Schuller M, Sherman K, Kelz RR, Fryer J, DaRosa D, Bilimoria KY.  Development and Participant Assessment of a Practical Quality Improvement Educational Initiative for Surgical Residents. J Am Coll Surg. 2013;216(6):1207-13. PMID: 23623221.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2013.01.065

  25. Sherman KL, Gordon EJ, Mahvi DM, Chung J, Bentrem DJ, Holl JL, Bilimoria KY. Surgeons' perceptions of public reporting of hospital and individual surgeon quality. Medical Care. 2013; 51 (12): 1069-1075. PMID: 24226305.
    https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000000013

  26. Sherman KL, Wayne JD, Chung J, Agulnik M, Attar S, Hayes JP, Laskin WB, Wandling MW, Minami CA, Johnson JK, O'Leary KJ, Yang AD, Holl JL, Bilimoria KY. Development of a Conceptual Model for Surgical Quality Improvement Collaboratives: Facilitating the Implementation and Evaluation of Collaborative Quality Improvement. JAMA Surg. 2016;151(12):1181-1183. PMID: 27604075.
    https://doi.org/10.1001/Jamasurg.2016.2817

  27. Sherman KL, Wayne JD, Chung J, Agulnik M, Attar S, Hayes JP, William B. Laskin B, Peabody TD, Bentrem DJ, Pollock RE, Bilimoria KY. Assessment of multimodality therapy use for extremity sarcoma in the United States. J Surg Oncol. 2014;109(5):395-404. Epub 2014/01/01. PMID:  24375444.
    https://doi.org/10.1002/jso.23520

  28. Yuce TK, Ellis RJ, Chung J, Merkow RP, Yang AD, Soper NJ, Tanner EJ, Schaeffer EM, Bilimoria KY, Auffenberg GB. Association between surgical approach and survival following resection of abdominopelvic malignancies. J Surg Oncol. 2020;121(4):620-629. PMID: 31970787.
    https://doi.org/10.1002/jso25841

  29. Yuce TK, Turner PL, Glass C, Hoyt DB, Nasca T, Bilimoria KY, Hu YY. National Evaluation of Racial/Ethnic Discrimination in US Surgical Residency Programs. JAMA Surg. 2020. PMID:  32293655.
    https://doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2020.0260